Desire for Silence
by Gamecrazy 25
Summary: Kairi has always been vulnerable to noise. A sound like static always lingers in her brain, even when the surroundings are completely quiet. It seems like a useless burden, but then she starts to hear something extra... Pairings undecided.
1. Chapter 1: Sky Butterflies

--Story: Desire for Silence

Summary: Kairi has always been vulnerable to noise. A sound like static always lingers inside her brain, even when the surroundings are completely quiet. It seems like a useless burden, but then she starts to hear something extra... Pairings undecided.

Chapter 1: Sky Butterflies

Gamecrazy's Note: This isn't my first KH fanfiction, but it's the first one without some of my other sources in it! Kingdom Hearts and Final Fantasy belong to Square Enix, not me!

* * *

The windshield wipers swished back and forth in an incessant motion like clock hands. Instead of _tick tock_ it was _swish swish_, joined in a chorus with the plummeting raindrops smacking against the windshield like giant water bugs.

Kairi buried her head inside the seat cushion against her back, attempting to summon sleep so the constant noise wouldn't bother her as much. Her deadpan gaze stared out the car window, transparent splotches of water bursting against the safety glass. Each impact resulted in a thud, sending a shudder through her mind. The car wheels rolled along a paved road, droplets rising in protest because they were disturbed from their demure puddles. A distant boom of thunder shouted, Kairi's twin sister Namine squealing beside her. The redhead shut her eyes to try and drive away the sound of everything. She wanted escape from all of it, wishing for a mute button to push in real life.

"Mom, can we put my CD in now?" Kairi's older brother Axel asked, the girl feeling the seat shift as he leaned forward. "This trip is _boring_!"

Their mother, Rikku, sighed. "Honey, it's raining cats and dogs. I'd love to hear your music, but now isn't the time. Your father needs to focus on the road, okay? We don't want an accident, do we?"

"No..." Axel responded reluctantly. Kairi cracked open her eyes because of the conversation and saw her troublesome brother sit back near the opposite window, sulking. He definitely called attention in a crowd, porcupine-spiky hair the color of rubies, apple green orbs, cerulean teardrop tattoos marked sharply under them, and an hourglass figure most girls would kill their friends to own. Axel disliked the rain as much as she did, but for a whole different reason. He caused all sorts of chaos at the high school for lighting trashcans on fire and vandalizing property with graffiti; it was a wonder Reno and Rikku didn't ground him for life after several referrals were called to their attention during talks with the principal, Cloud Strife. Rain put a stopper on Axel's grand schemes and left him to his own devices at home, a location that didn't have the proper equipment or people to cause the reaction he wanted.

"Umm..." Namine spoke up in her meek voice. "We'll... We'll be there soon, Axel... D-Don't worry..."

Axel grumbled as a reply, clearly not looking for comforting words.

"M-Mom?" Namine began, playing with the hem of her charcoal skirt. It was fall, storming, and the family was heading to a vacation home. The whole trip was pretty odd. "How... How much longer?" She threaded her skinny, pale fingers together in knots. "J-Just curious..."

Rikku turned to make eye contact or the closest equivalent with her daughter, since the younger twin habitually avoided the stare of others. "We'll arrive in a few minutes, Nami. Does that make you feel better, Axel?"

"No," Axel grunted, slouching in his seat. The diagonal strap of the seatbelt cut into his chin.

"Don't be such a grump!" Rikku suggested, putting on an infamous cheerful face. Kairi knew her mother to be incredibly optimistic even in the direst of situations. It was unfortunate that her happiness didn't spread to her three children. "You'll bring the rest of us down!"

Axel rolled his brilliant jade eyes with an expression mirroring, 'Yeah, right.' He adjusted his position, yanking down the legs of a pair of black shorts. Why he bothered to wear those, Kairi had no idea. It would be cold outside because of the stupid rain. "C'mon, Mom, get real. We're not exactly the happiest bunch of grapes."

"W-We're happy..." Namine reassured feebly, picking at a stray string on the hem of her canary yellow blouse.

"Nami, I love you, but you need a spurt of confidence from yours truly," Axel stated with an iota of his usual fiery spirit. He spun one of his red and white bangles idly. "No one's going to take you seriously if you stutter and pause like a dysfunctional machine."

Namine flinched from her sibling's brutal honesty and Rikku shot Axel a tired glare. "Don't pick on your sister, now. You know she doesn't like it."

Axel heaved an overdramatic sigh and pivoted his head to stare out the window, proceeding to be quiet for the remainder of the trip, a feat unheard of in the Turk family. Even in his least favorite weather, he still managed to complain and poke fun.

Kairi felt too drained to make any sort of remark. It was hard to believe that they were twins, the painfully shy Namine who couldn't say a complete sentence without mumbling, stammers, or repeated words and the almost completely silent Kairi who hated noise. She couldn't think of any similarities between them besides the fact the two both preferred seclusion and quietness, a polar opposite to what Axel craved: parties, eardrum-shattering metal music, attention, and a horde of friends. What an odd family the five of them made, their youthful blonde mother Rikku who painted sunshine wherever she walked and their playful red-haired father Reno that had a few habits to break.

"Kairi, honey?" Rikku tried, catching the older twin's jaded attention. "How are you feeling?"

"Bad." She wished the rain would stop pounding everywhere like a barrage of mallets; that would be one relief. It did nothing in the long run, unfortunately.

Ever since Kairi could remember, she was struck acutely by noises. She hid in the dark corners of the playroom while Namine rubbed together plush blocks, the grating sounds cutting her content mood. Axel's stomps in the hall reverberated in her head for several minutes at a time. Listening to Rikku cook was torture. Reno might actually set the beer can on the coaster every now and then, but even that muffled sound panged in her mind. Even when the twins were taken upstairs to nap, Kairi heard a bonus noise besides her blonde sister's gentle breathing: a static rumble like someone stuffed a radio forever set on a malfunctioning station in her ear canals. She hadn't wanted to bother her parents with the ever-present distraction, but they noticed that she wasn't the happy, smiling child she was expected to be. Therapists had no answer to the strange phenomenon. That left Kairi stuck with the keenness of sound, driving her to silence because her own voice would disturb her senses. At least thinking didn't make actual noise.

Kairi had a headache now, being susceptible to them with her strange condition. She tilted her head further, her neck creaking because of the sluggish movement lately.

"Do you want some aspirin or something?" Rikku asked, caring and concerned as always.

"Never works." Kairi closed her eyes again to make another motion to capture sleep, but the rain still hammered down. When she had been younger, she thought that rain came from millions of clear butterflies in the clouds. They laid countless eggs for no reason, the things crashing to smithereens on the hard surface below the sky. The fake living beings then hatched and crawled across windshields, devouring other babies along the way before sliding off the glass and evaporating into nothingness. Where Kairi had received that idea, she had no clue.

The wipers still swiped across, scattering the loud raindrops as Reno focused on the road ahead.


	2. Chapter 2: Weird Holiday

Chapter 2: Weird Holiday

Gamecrazy's Note: I own nothing!

* * *

The rest of the trip was mainly silent, Kairi barely being able to doze, Namine drawing on a sketchbook withdrawn from her bag on the floor, Axel filling the air with his grumpy vibes, Rikku counteracting those waves with constant joy, and Reno intently focusing on driving through the unrelenting rain. The Turk family was accustomed to chatting all of the time save Kairi and occasionally Namine, so this was uncharted territory they sailed into.

Kairi's thoughts bounced around with no real purpose in mind. If somebody asked their opinion, she would mutter in a tired voice that this whole trip was off-the-wall. Who had ever traveled to a vacation home by the beach during Thanksgiving break? This resulted as a complaint from Reno, who had called his cousin Tifa to discover that she was dating his old boss, Rufus Shinra, and the redhead was truly scared of the enigmatic man. He offered an extravagant plea to Rikku to not let him see Rufus, complete with the down-on-knees position, clasped hands, and puppy dog eyes. Axel had thought that such a demeanor for a lazy, sloppy, somewhat helpful man like Reno Turk to be hilarious and howled with laughter, breaking the serious mood.

Rikku had given a weird I-can't-believe-you're-going-this-far look to her husband, but eventually agreed to escape to the vacation home. She had made him promise to help with the Thanksgiving dinner, Reno's mouth dropping in shock and whining, "I can't cook, darling! You making such a suggestion will give our kids food poisoning!" Rikku only wiggled the whisk near his face and firmly stated that he would help in some way or fashion or else she'd hide his alcohol. Reno groaned but caved into her terms.

Kairi didn't participate in many conversations, but she had to listen to her family's troubles no matter if she left the room or not. Reno had been employed at several jobs during his lifetime, the first being a fast food joint during college, the fateful meeting with Rikku taking place on the start of his shift. "It was destiny," he would joke, usually taking a swig of beer as he relayed the story. "Once I saw her flip the cheeseburger and smelled the fries in her hair, I knew this was the girl I'd marry!" Rikku would blush and playfully swat his head, saying that the smell of greasy food excited the stomach and not the heart.

Reno had been around several creepy bosses, the manger of the fast food restaurant, Sephiroth, just the start of a long line of disturbing higher ranked people. The redhead claimed that Sephiroth had this murderous glint in his greenish-blue eyes like he wanted to spear Reno on a shish kebab and then devour him with blood sauce smeared all over. Kairi's father watched himself around that man, dreading a swish of silver hair skirting around the corner and constantly glancing over his shoulder in budding paranoia. A business cubical had been Reno's next job, the boss being a spooky black haired man named Vincent Valentine. He had taken one step into his office and thought, _This must be what Dracula's tomb looked like_. Vincent obviously had an obsession with vampires. All of the coworkers avoided the office as much as possible, freaked out by the ebony curtains and matching paint coating all four walls, not to mention the plethora of glowing candles, crimson tapestries pinned all over, and a suspicious altar with a goblet sitting on it. Reno announced to his family that he expected a coffin to be hidden somewhere and swore he saw a bloody handprint once.

That job hadn't been his best, combining the impeccable vampire wannabe Vincent Valentine with his imported-from-a-horror-film office and the requirement to be proper. Reno Turk would rather clonk the word "proper" with a frying pan than change his attire to mirror the definition. Rikku had stopped by the building after her teaching job at an elementary school and asked a worker where her husband was, only to receive an outburst from Reno. "You don't recognize me?!" he had cried overdramatically, alarming the other people in the cubicles. Rikku apologized immediately, not used to seeing a well-dressed Reno.

The redhead had done quite a makeover for his usual appearance: buttoning his clean white shirt without misplaced/undone ones, wearing the black suit jacket closed for once, slicking the red hair that wasn't pulled back in a long, slender ponytail flat with hair gel, a midnight tie knotted against his chest, and pants ironed of any wrinkles. One almost expected a pair of glasses to be on his face on account for an intelligent vibe seemed to resonate from him. Reno wasn't an idiot, but his mental capacity was estimated as lower when paired with his not-so-prim clothing.

Tifa's brother Tseng had recommended a job at Shinra Electric Company, the place where he worked, after Reno grew fed up with the proper attire and spooky boss combination. That became the longest one Reno had ever had and the one he enjoyed the most, despite the smirking, chortling Rufus Shinra. He quickly became friends with Elena and Rude, the other two main workers at the company. As Reno relayed the many adventures the quartet embarked on, Kairi wondered if they got any business completed.

The most famous incident was during an out-of-the-blue game of Truth or Dare when Reno and Elena were challenged to cook a simple lunch of macaroni and cheese. Kairi knew her father was all thumbs in the kitchen after he somehow managed to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich explode--how that was even possible she had no idea, but Rikku demanded that he clean up the mess--but the blonde, helmet-haired Elena couldn't cook worth beans either. Maybe the request should have been, "Create something that would serve well in a fireplace," because the result happened to be a really sooty charcoal... thing. Tseng had stabbed it with a fork and the prongs bent all out of whack. That was exactly why people didn't let two people in the kitchen who could burn water _and_ the pot.

Reno went looking for another job after Rufus fired him for no apparent reason--Kairi guessed that the boss had it out for him or something--and Tifa employed him at her bar, Seventh Heaven. That only made the redhead depressed, being surrounded by all brands of alcohol and not being able to drink a drop. Reno trudged through a couple months there, not waiting for the beer to be chilled before downing it once he stepped in the house. He tried to cut down on his consumption of the drink through Rikku's counseling, and that had worked for the most part. Reno still had a six pack of beer in the freezer, but it was ingested slower.

Now his job was at some computer business, the boss being a man named Yazoo. Reno had thrown himself on the couch the first day when he arrived home, shouting that a relative of Sephiroth's had come to slaughter him. Rikku dismissed that quickly, trying to pull her husband back on the grounds of happiness she eternally resided in.

Kairi sluggishly dragged herself back to reality when the car finally halted, relieving one of the pesky noises. Rain still struck the vehicle harshly, unfortunately. She straightened up, adjusting her pink jacket. Axel perked up, exclaiming, "Finally!" Namine let out a tiny sigh, replacing her sketchbook in the white bag she toted around.

Reno braked the car and Rikku turned to face her children. "Make sure you run so you won't get too wet!"

Axel rolled his toxic green eyes though he seemed ecstatic that they had finally reached their destination. "We know, Mom. It's not like we're little kids."

One nuisance of their trip was over, thank goodness. Kairi gathered her duffle bag, mostly filled with clothes and a couple books. It's not that she was a boring person, but she could hardly move without encountering some variety of noise. TV was a complete nightmare to deal with, sports were loaded with trampling feet and cheering kids, video games assaulted her with synthesized tunes, and even Namine's pencil annoyed her with its minute scratches. Reading was filled with blissful silence except the fluttering sound of turned pages.

"Whoo, man, I need a beer," Reno said, about to crack open his door. "Driving in the rain is for the birds."

"Already?" Rikku began, probably starting a lecture in her mind. There was a moment of silence from the mother before she shook her head. "No, never mind." Her face lit up like a Christmas tree with a huge grin. "Let's get out of here!"

You didn't need to ask Axel twice, the eighteen year old bounding out of the black car as fast as he could to escape the water falling from the sky butterflies. Reno and Rikku rushed outside after their son. Namine slipped out next, holding the opening of her tote closed. "C-Come on, K-Kairi..." she mumbled in an effort to make her sister feel better, but Kairi winced at the voice directed at her. What, did the blonde think she was going to become a sloth in the car? It's not like Kairi enjoyed the trip! She moved out of the vehicle last, closing the door quietly so the sound wouldn't bother her as much. Reno had unlocked the door and Rikku enthusiastically waved an arm for Kairi to join them.

She glanced upward at the steel gray sky, curious if she could see the butterflies wasting their stamina to lay noisy eggs. Water dripped down into her clothes, but Kairi felt no hurry. She could stay out here if she wanted in the worst weather imaginable. Kairi decided to enter the sturdy house, surely less wet than outside by the beach and rolling ocean, and scurried through the door. Her boots slapped against the muddy sand, a sensation deemed gross by her condition and cleanliness in general.

Kairi was positive this Thanksgiving would be mind-numbingly boring and/or a stupid idea that should have never been brought up by Reno.


	3. Chapter 3: The Middle

Chapter 3: The Middle

Gamecrazy's Note: I still own nothing!

* * *

The Turk family's vacation home would have been ideal if it wasn't smack dab on the beach. It still stormed like the world would end, and the ocean rocked its waves outside the rain-splattered window. Fall was definitely wetter than summer, but this thunderstorm sounded like a bad hurricane! It sent jolts through Kairi's brain.

Reno shut the door with its lacy curtain over the oval window--Rikku's idea--and sighed in relief. "I thought we'd _never_ get here! Sometimes I hate rain..."

Rikku flicked on the light in the kitchen, illuminating the otherwise dark house. "Rain's good for the plants!"

"I know, but I can't see through it when it's falling in buckets!" Reno ran a hand through his soaked messy hair. "I like to be able to know where I'm going or if that one truck went left or right!"

"You're helping me unload when the weather lets up, right?" Rikku rubbed a finger over the stove. "Ick, it's dusty..."

"Yeah, because I'm going to be _such_ a help in cooking..." Reno muttered, escaping to the living room to plop down on the couch.

Kairi took a seat at the dining table, placing her bubble gum duffle bag on the not-so-clean floor. The color pink wasn't really her favorite, but she didn't have much of an opinion to share on things. Most of her thoughts revolved around the constant noise around her and what everyone else talked about.

Kairi unzipped her jacket and tossed it on top of her tote, slouching in the hard wooden chair. She didn't know _what_ she would be doing here besides eavesdropping on everyone's conversations. She couldn't help it; she was just in the room while others went through life. Kairi probably had loads of gossip from the high school she never used because she didn't really care if Selphie Tilmitt was going out with Tidus for the fourth time (so said the mouth of Wakka, but it was hard to decipher what he said because of a heavy accent) or what homicidal note Paine scribbled on the girl's bathroom walls during fifth period (probably consisting of that all of the girls were slutty whores and should burn in hell for kissing that dweeb under the bleachers during that basketball game).

Kairi may detest talking and making friends with others but that wasn't enough to assume that she was one of those poser emos who announced to the whole world that they slit their wrists last night because that preppy girl shoved his lunch on his head and that got chocolate milk coating all over his glasses--don't you know how hard that is to clean out? She had a handful of friends (really Namine's friends) that she hung out with during lunch and class.

It was a shocking fact for Kairi to know that her younger twin that was so shy she hid behind the curtain during the school play when she was _backstage_ had friends. It was quite a motley crew, actually.

Hayner was the self-proclaimed ringleader of the gang, loud, boisterous and ready to tackle someone in a fight. Kairi wondered if the camo he wore was a testament to something. Pence was the laidback guy of the group, spouting wisdom like a fountain and enjoying every meal like a gourmet expert. Olette was a polite, helpful girl who loved orange and was the most normal. Roxas... Well, what could Kairi say about him? Roxas, as far as she knew, never said anything, keeping earphones crammed in his head out of class. Kairi waved at him just to make contact--she was as silent as him, after all--and the blonde boy would return the gesture. That was the extent of her knowledge of him.

Sea salt ice cream was a tradition with the gaggle of students, pawning up the money to buy everyone the frozen treat, and it revolved as to who went up to the cafeteria lady to purchase it. Before school let out for Thanksgiving, it had been Namine's turn, and Kairi wasn't sure the girl could carry out the task. It involved much talking and exchanging of money. Namine fumbled with most things you could fit in your hands as if they were coated in slippery soap and Kairi was surprised to know a quarter didn't go skidding under the counter where it would become as dusty as the vacation home.

Axel was exiting the kitchen to drop off his bag of belongings when his cell phone rang, blaring its heavy metal ring tone right into Kairi's ears. Oh, what her brother _had_ to like... Flicking the device open, he asked, "Hello? Oh, yo Larx!"

Larxene--Kairi should have known. The blonde with slender hair antennae was Axel's girlfriend of a year and two months according to the rebellious redhead. How they managed to hook up probably wasn't the dream way with love notes, flowers, and a mess of good-natured laughing considering Larxene's personality: bitchy, temperamental, and most likely sadist. Kairi recalled a night where she stayed over for the night to meet Reno and Rikku and the entire time they were downstairs, she popped peppermint gum loudly with the equivalent of a sneer stamped on her face. Not a very cheery girl.

"Where am I?" Axel's face darkened. "I'm at my family's vacation home--can you believe that? We had to drive through miles of rain to get here because my dad's scared of some boss!" ("He was out to get me, I know it!" Reno interrupted from his grounded position on the sofa.) He paused, nodding. "Yeah, it's kinda stupid. I guess I'll be back after Thanksgiving." He sighed dramatically. "I know Larx, I miss you too. Hold out a few days, okay?" Kairi glanced over to see Namine fiddling with her bag by the doorway, probably searching for a misplaced item, taking in her troubled frown and worried gaze. "Oh, can you tell Demyx to cut that shit he calls music out? It's driving me crazy!"

"Don't swear," Rikku berated, wiping down the kitchen with a wet cloth, making a face at the dust. The last time they had been here was during summer to enjoy the beach properly, after all.

"Okay, mom," Axel said, holding a fingerless gloved hand over the speaker so Larxene wouldn't hear and then replacing it to his ear again. "He stopped? Good. I've heard better sounds from squealing babies and hysterical women!"

Demyx was another comrade of Axel's, and from what he related to his parents, the musician was hardly tolerable to be around. The mullet-ed young man was an idiot who lugged around a blue sitar the same size as him to play "serenading" music for legions. Kairi thought it was terrible, odd condition or not.

"So, how about Zexy and Yuf? Are they around?" Axel questioned, stretching. "Oh, they are? Why am I concerned about them? C'mon, Larx! You want me to be considerate, don't you? You know, have a caring man who takes care of others?" He grumbled. "Listen, I'll call you back later. The rain is still pounding down and I'm surprised my cell phone's even _working_. Love you too, bye." He hit a button and resumed his trek upstairs.

Zexion and Yuffie rounded out the last of Axel's buddies. Zexion was a walking goth stereotype, complete with the flippy lilac hair over one eye, darkly penciled black eyeliner, and nose in a book about werewolves or something in the horror genre. By Kairi's standards, he strolled the fine line between hardcore and ridiculous. Were gothic people these days so explosive and sensitive about their meager height? Hearing his whines from down the hall made her want to stuff a gag in his mouth filled with formaldehyde.

Yuffie was ear-piercingly loud, chipper, and athletic--maybe a long-lost relative of Rikku because Kairi's mom was all of those things. She loved to dress in skimpy, ornate, or a combination of both outfits to school; how did she get away with it? Once she donned an Asian outfit to school and nearly poked out Zexion's eye with chopsticks crammed into a mini bun (Yuffie had pretty short black hair after all) when she bent down to retrieve a pencil and sent him into a flying rage. Yuffie only pressed a violet-finger nailed hand against the top of his head to keep his frenzied swings from reaching any area of her body.

Seriously, where did Axel find this peculiar group of friends? In an insane asylum with ominous thunder cracking in the distance?

About half an hour later, the rain finally halted falling from the heavens, the sun peeking out behind a cloud like Namine during _Sleeping Beauty_, only that was a heavy red curtain. Now all of the major annoyances were cut out of Kairi's life besides the everlasting static. It was a relief to the cranberry-haired girl, still perched on the kitchen chair with a book opened in front of her, not really paying attention to the words forming before her eyes. She always found it hard to focus on things. It just wasn't a habit.

"Reno, don't forget!" Rikku called to the living room.

"I won't!" Kairi heard the couch creak as her father staggered in the room. "I was halfway asleep..."

"Are you so ungentlemanly that you would let me lug all of luggage in here by myself?" Rikku scolded, hands on her hips and a frown on her face. She tossed her blonde locks. "Aren't men supposed to be brawny and always wanting to prove they're the strongest?"

"I never said I would back out!" Reno cried, tearing open the door and heading outside to the car.

"M-Mom?" Namine piped up, poking her head around the corner. She had probably heard Rikku getting her husband to move.

"Yes, sweetie?"

"I... I think I left s-something... in the c-car..." Wow, that took the girl ages to say.

"What was it?"

"M-My... green pencil..." Namine ducked back into the living room, too embarrassed to say anything more. Honestly, to be like this around your own family... Kairi thought it was bizarre if not idiotic. She didn't hate her sister, but her personality left much to be desired. Then again, Kairi supposed it was the same with her tendency to speak so little.

* * *

The Turk family had finished unloading their luggage in the house and now it was nighttime. After a quick dinner with Reno watching intently during the cooking process for some pointers, they retired to bed.

The environment was definitely less wrathful now. Kairi had fallen asleep in a decent amount of time, not bothered by the rain and ocean waves. Only the static in her brain persisted, but she ignored it the best she could as she had done for years. Kairi hadn't gone for a long period of time without being aware of it, since it was impossible to push aside like a buzzing gnat.

She stumbled into the sensation of being half awake, huddled in the top bunk bed. She and Namine always shared a room since they were little, the blonde's art supplies cluttering a small desk, crayons sitting until they were retrieved by pale hands to scratch colors on blank papers. Kairi's matching piece of furniture had a couple books, maybe a pencil, and schoolwork. It was neater than Namine's work station, the latter a mess waiting to occur. And Kairi wondered why her sister misplaced quite a few items. It was as if a rainbow crashed into the desk.

Kairi buried herself deeper into the covers, not feeling the urge to get up despite having to use the bathroom and being thirsty. It was comfortable here in the dark, sheets rippled around her body and a soft pillow. She decided it would be best to obey her needs, sat up, blinked her bleary eyes, and lethargically climbed down the ladder near the end of the top bunk. She wandered to the bathroom, bumping into the wall before entering her destination. Taking care of nature's call, Kairi exited the restroom after washing her hands and strolled to the kitchen for a glass of water.

The tile sent a cold shock up her feet, the faint humming of the refrigerator invading her mind. Ignoring the sound the best to her ability, Kairi stood on her tiptoes to reach a plastic cup in the cupboard. Turning the faucet on a low trickle so it wouldn't be as loud, she filled the glass halfway, turned off the appliance, and took a great swallow of the liquid. Ah, refreshing. Dumping the rest of it down the drain, Kairi set the cup in the stagnant dishwater and began to head back to her bedroom.

The phone rang.

The redhead jumped at the sudden noise, frowning at the discomfort it gave. Waiting to see if whoever called left a message, Kairi stood still, wishing for the ringing to stop.

A beep sounded from the answering machine and a crisp, British voice began to speak. "Greetings. I am looking for Kairi Turk. I hope you're awake at this hour. Pardon me if I am wrong. I wish to chat with Kairi Turk. Is she there?"

Kairi froze at the mention of her name. Someone wanted to talk to her? She hadn't recognized his voice. It was probably a stalker or salesman...

"Kairi Turk, I want to talk with you," the British voice continued, sounding agitated. "Please pick up the phone. I am anxiously waiting. Kairi Turk, talk to me."

Even though Kairi knew better than to answer the phone when she didn't know the speaker, she gently removed the phone, tapped the talk button, and cradled it to her ear as if it was a time bomb. "...Hello?"

"Hello there, Kairi Turk," the British voice responded in a calm monotone again. "I am Luxord."

Kairi flinched at the close sound but asked, "What do you want from me?"

Luxord chortled on the other side of the line. "Miss Kairi, all I ask for is a simple game. Do you like gambling, or perhaps Tarot?"

What was this psycho thinking, calling her in the middle of the night and asking her preference for cards? Kairi almost hung up the phone, but something urged her to keep talking. "I don't know."

"Hmm, is that so? It doesn't matter anyway since I will play both with you." The redhead heard shuffling in the background. "I have three cards side by side. I don't suppose you have money right now, so I won't ask you to make a bet. Which one would you like: the left, the middle, or the right?"

Kairi had no idea what this call meant; an extreme sense of salesmanship, maybe? Was this Luxord a seller of cards or something? She gripped the phone tightly, not sure how to respond. Who knows what her choice could reward her, a trip to a bondage rack with a gag stuffed in her mouth probably.

"Kairi Turk?" Luxord inquired. "Are you still there? Kairi Turk? You have to pick your card in the next thirty seconds. Don't bother trying to hide, I can hear you breathing."

This was getting way too creepy for Kairi's taste but she mumbled, "The middle," and deftly hung up.

* * *

Gamecrazy's Note: The plot thickens...


	4. Chapter 4: Silver Dust

Chapter 4: Silver Dust

Gamecrazy's Note: I still own nothing!

* * *

Kairi was all too glad when morning rolled around, the sun rays peeking in through the window. Perhaps she could shove last night's phone call into the dank recesses of her mind where it would surely fade to oblivion. Maybe the static in her brain would actually serve a purpose as a distraction.

Kairi crawled out of bed, finding Axel whining outside the restroom near the staircase, a faint noise of running water emitting from it. "Nami..." His currently high-pitched voice slammed into her mind. "How much longer? Other people have to use the bathroom too!"

"S-Sorry!" Namine's apology sounded muffled through the door. "T-There's... There's a b-bathroom downstairs..."

"I know, but I don't want to walk down there! It's too far!" Axel complained, knocking urgently on the entrance, his whimpers becoming stressed even more. "Nami, what are you doing in there? Did you trap yourself in the shower again?"

"D-Don't mention that!" Namine squealed, obviously embarrassed by her tone of voice. "I-I'm a-almost... done!"

Kairi stood by, waiting patiently. She recalled the incident Axel referred to with slight amusement. Namine had spent a little too long in the shower and Rikku checked up on her to make sure the blonde twin hadn't slipped and gave herself a nice bump on the head. Namine had exclaimed, almost in hysterics, that she couldn't get out of the shower because the curtain wouldn't move on either end. Rikku immediately burst through the door, nearly breaking it off the hinges by a powerful kick, and discovered that her daughter had just stepped on the curtain with both feet and hadn't realized where they were positioned. Namine had been teased by Axel relentlessly for the next few days, acting out of her usual personality by weakly slapping him in the shoulder when she had the chance. Apparently, their brother still got a big kick out of it.

Namine finally exited the bathroom, hair dripping inside a towel turban and clothes haphazardly thrown on her body. "T-There..."

"It's about time, Nami!" Axel rushed by his younger sister to flee into the sanctuary of bathroom. Namine almost tumbled to the floor in his hurry.

"Oh, K-Kairi..." the blonde twin stammered, realizing she was there. "Did... did you want the b-bathroom t-too?"

Kairi shook her head, detesting speech. The phone call from last night lingered in her memory like a shadow. What had it meant? Who was Luxord? Deciding it fruitless to ponder those questions, Kairi ignored the nagging things.

"O-Okay..." Namine reached her hands up to dry her hair, rubbing gently. "Are you w-waiting for m-me?"

Kairi shrugged. Why had she stopped to view the spectacle of sibling interactions? It was hardly funny, and she knew she would hear about any incidents downstairs.

"K-Kairi, I... I know you d-don't like to t-talk, but..." Namine hesitated, biting her lip in worry. She slung the towel over her shoulder, her golden hair limp and stringy from the dampness. "We... We really d-don't spend much as s-sisters, you k-know? I know we're n-not that m-much alike, but we... We should h-hang out m-more often..." The finishing of the sentence seemed to drain Namine's courage, the pale girl fleeing to her bedroom for a brush.

Kairi watched Namine's retreating back and thought about spending more family time together. She was pretty out of place in the Turk family, actually... Reno was lazy, messy, and only helpful at certain times, but he worked hard at supporting his wife and children. Rikku radiated happiness and cheer, but that didn't mean she wasn't sympathetic to problems. Axel was loud, rebellious, and teasing, but his falsely hard heart cared for others. Namine was shy, clumsy, and sometimes forgetful, but she found a place in her soul to love everyone.

What was Kairi?

She was the antisocial girl in the corner who heard noises too acutely. She was aloof and cold, viewing everyday events as bothersome. She did adore her family, but the sound they emitted was too much at times. She had a rarely burning temper--once ignited, it would be worse than those firecrackers Axel tested outside her window one Fourth of July, however.

Kairi guessed that she was the oddball in her family. It was like all of their personality traits skipped her. She didn't fit with anyone, not Namine's crew of friends or Axel's troupe of comrades.

Kairi descended the stairs, smelling the fragrance of breakfast, feeling more depressed than usual because she was the extra puzzle piece. Once she reached the kitchen table, Rikku greeted her with a hearty grin and waved a spatula in the air because of the cooking pancakes. "Good morning, sweetie! Do you want any pancakes?"

"Couple," Kairi responded in her quiet voice. Her mother's voice reverberated painfully in her mind. Why must most of her family be so loud?

"Gotcha!" Rikku chirped, seeming to realize Kairi's current mood and tuning her speech down some. She flipped a breakfast item, the noise of it simmering filling the kitchen. Axel bounded down the steps shortly, still clad in his black and red pajamas with flame insignias everywhere. "Morning, mom."

"Good morning! Where's your father? I'm surprised he hasn't woken up at the smell of pancakes yet." Rikku giggled at the thought.

"I dunno, dad's funny sometimes." Axel shrugged, not appearing to care much about Reno's whereabouts. "Nami was a bathroom hog earlier."

"Why's that?" Rikku deposited a couple pancakes on a plate and snatched the syrup bottle to drizzle the sugary glaze over them before placing the food in front of Kairi.

"She was taking a shower and I had to pee," Axel answered in a neutral tone. "Oh, three pancakes."

"You could have used the bathroom downstairs," Rikku pointed out like it was obvious. "This house has two bathrooms, you know. And what's the magic word?"

Axel sighed dramatically. "Please. I didn't feel like walking much and I _really_ had to use the restroom." He glimpsed the telephone. "Hey, the answering machine is blinking. Did someone call, mom?"

The portion of pancakes halted in its tracks on the way to Kairi's mouth, praying that her brother wouldn't push the button to hear the message. She _honestly _wished she hadn't answered Luxord now... What would her family think about some complete stranger ringing the phone at the late hour? Would they think some stalker was after her or something? Should she say that she replied or keep her mouth closed on that matter?

"No, not since I've been up..." Rikku's expression became puzzled as she jabbed the button that would play the message. "It's probably just a salesman or something. They always sell you defective products!"

Luxord's British accented voice filled the kitchen again, just as terrifying to Kairi now as it had been at night. Both Rikku and Axel shot her a weird glance as the message played itself out, something she was definitely scared of.

"...Kairi?" Axel seemed to shed his usual devil-may-care attitude in place of one that meant business. "Have you felt like someone's been watching you or something? How about mysterious notes?"

Rikku picked up the line of questions with, "Did you get a username on computer chat rooms without my notice? Don't give away any information to people you don't know."

"I... I didn't know him..." Kairi answered, her voice shaking in fear. Her eyes felt as wide as saucers, clutching the fork with too much strength. _Don't press me on this! _Kairi pleaded in her static-filled mind. "I haven't done anything with anyone!"

Her brother and mom seemed flabbergasted at her sudden outburst, used to the Kairi that barely said anything in more than a mumble. It was like a case of Namine Syndrome but worse.

"Okay, sweetie..." Rikku's face appeared to not decide on what it should display. "Just tell me if he ever calls again, alright?"

Kairi nodded quickly, biting her lip. Man, her personality had taken a nosedive in seconds flat. She didn't remember the last time she ever felt extreme sensations... "I will..."

Axel snapped back to reality. "Mom, my pancakes are burning."

Rikku yelped in shock and moved like a madwoman to hurriedly remedy the situation, flipping them onto a plate. Inspecting them carefully she announced, "They're only a little black around the edges! Perfectly edible if you scrape them!"

"Gee, thanks." Axel rolled his eyes as Rikku dumped syrup on the pancakes. He took the offered plate and plopped down at the table next to his younger sister, stuffing his face after scrutinizing his food.

Namine rushed down the steps a few seconds later, hair stringy from it still drying. "G-Good morning, m-mom..."

"Morning, honey! How many pancakes do you want?" Rikku greeted, smiling brilliantly at her daughter. For now, the phone call seemed forgotten.

"O-Oh, umm..." Namine thought for a second before responding. "Two, p-please..."

"Coming right up!" Rikku poured the correct amount of batter in the pan, the sizzling sound entering Kairi's brain.

Reno flew into the kitchen as if summoned, kissed his wife briefly, and apologized with, "Sorry, I felt lazy today..." Rikku opened her mouth to make a comment but he said before she could, "I know, you're going to say I was about to skip out on Thanksgiving. I said I would help if we agreed to go here for the holiday, and I'm keeping my promise!"

Rikku nodded, seeming to understand. "I didn't doubt you, darling. I was going to ask you how many pancakes you wanted."

Reno blinked. "Oh. Never mind then." He flopped down on a chair next to a snickering Axel, who apparently thought the scene to be funny. Kairi wondered if he existed to poke fun at everything. Her brother didn't pick fights with little children or anything, but he caused enough grief among his classmates.

Kairi minded her food again and stuck a bite into her mouth, Namine munching on her left side and Axel cramming his stomach on her right. Reno was draped next to the oldest child.

As Rikku delivered the other pancake orders, the world suddenly reeled to Kairi. The static burst to an ear-piercing volume in her head, her emitting a cry of pain. It had never been this loud before, remaining as a minor annoyance all of her life. Vaguely, she realized her fork clattered to the floor and her family encircled her, asking on what was wrong. Cracking her tear-filled eyes open--the pain flared that much--she noticed the world gain a silver sheen to everything, as if she had been thrown into a black and white photograph.

The persistent sound in her head revealed more than radio blurbs, giving way to monstrous growls. Jerking her head towards the door, Kairi spotted an inky, child-shaped shadow standing in the opening, eyes alight in malice and a gray shard embedded in his chest. It bared razor teeth and sharp claws, leaping to strike the redhead. She stood so quickly that the chair tumbled on its side, throwing herself out of its path. The creature frowned and struck out again, Kairi ducking with her hands clamped on both sides of her head, feeling nauseous from the splitting pain. What was going on? She couldn't quite see her family's expressions, the other bodies just faint blurs now.

The monster growled like a rabid dog and swung its black claws at her, leaving a slash on her exposed shoulder. Kairi cringed, hand automatically grasping the dropped utensil. The fork seemed to flood her body with newfound strength, the eating tool shining golden with light. Her eyes focused on the raging being, mind becoming unclouded, and she stabbed the fork forward like a spear. The creature shrieked at the wound inflicted on its stomach, but lunged yet again, Kairi banging against the wood panels with a shock of injury. She gritted her teeth to spur on her bravery and thrust her makeshift weapon in its chest with no hesitation.

A glass-shattering scream erupted from the disintegrating thing, silver dust vomiting from its ruined mouth. Eventually all of the remnants of the creature vanished like it had never existed. Her eyes were momentarily blinded by the sudden rush of color back in her vision.

"...Kairi?" Reno asked. She couldn't see his face in her current position, her back facing her stunned family. "What was that all about?"

"Honey, your shoulder's bleeding!" Rikku cried, flying to her daughter's side in a mess of yellow flowered pajamas and blonde hair. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," Kairi replied, feeling out of place acutely now. Nothing like her family at all... The pain in her shoulder seemed obsolete somehow. Blinking, a fact suddenly reared its head towards her.

The static in her head had quieted.


End file.
